Anti-abortion activists slam Obama comment

PHILADELPHIA, April 2 (UPI) -- Abortion opponents say remarks by Sen. Barack Obama suggesting pregnancy is a punishment may hurt his chances to win the U.S presidency.

Obama, a Democratic contender and Illinois senator, told a town-hall meeting in Pennsylvania Sunday he would advocate sex education in response to a question about AIDS.

"I've got two daughters -- 9 years old and 6 years old," Obama said. "I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby. ... So it doesn't make sense to not give them information."

Anti-abortion activists say those statements and his past record on abortion cast him in a negative light against the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, The Washington Times said Wednesday.

"He would want his own grandchild aborted. It shows a real callous disregard for human life," said the executive director of National Right to Life, David Osteen.

Tommy Vietor, an Obama spokesman, said, "Senator Obama believes we can all agree that we should be taking steps to reduce the number of teen pregnancies and abortions in this country," adding that Obama's comments did not advocate abortion.